The 1st Clown Prince of Hip Hop?
Yeap I’ve jumped into my record box again. Well, it is 2015 to be fair and I haven't done it for such a long time. Only this time I have pulled out an album that just made me smile just by looking at the album cover. The album in question is called “Goin off” by Biz Markie
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It was released during the year of 1988. 28 years old ago would you believe it! Wow, I remember buying this yesterday. Another factor about this album was that it was released during Hip hop's golden age.
The tag name of the Golden age refers to a period of time within mainstream HipHop Music, during the late 1980s to the mid-1990s which is said to be characterized by its diversity, quality, innovation, and influence within the music gender itself.
Biz Markie is the stage name of this larger life Hip Hop personality. However, his real name isMarcel Theo Hall, he was born on April 8, 1964, in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, USA
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The album that is “Goin off” doesn’t get the respect in my opinion that it truly deserves. At the time Hip Hop music was really taking on really serious issues of the day such as Race relations, Police brutality, the Unfairness within American society. Then all of a sudden this album gets released right in the middle of it and it just makes you smile.
The album gave us various funny situations and great storytelling tales which were all bound together with the use of great music samples and beats.
It is because of this and BizzMarkie’s remarkable “witty” encounters and the vision to put that into his "Raps" that he eventually became known as the “1st Clown of Hip Hop”.
The album in question was produced by Hip Hop beats wizard and sample king that is Marley Marl (whose Real Name -is Marlon Williams (born September 30, 1962, in New York, USA).
He himself is often noted as one of Hip Hop's greatest producers within the world of Hip Hop.
That title alone should make you curious enough to give this long-player a listen. However added to the album's credence, 5 of the first songs on the album's lyrics were written by Big Daddy Kane.
Big Daddy Kane whose real name is Antonio Hall; was born on the (10th of September 1968, in New York City, USA) and is also credited as being one World’s top 25 wordsmiths and lyricists within the music itself. As I have mentioned already that he wrote most of the lyrics on this groundbreaking album.
So already we have two of Hip Hop’s royalty helping out in order to produce the debut album release for the artist that is Biz Markie!
Since its release it is often found within underground Hip Hop fans' top 10 best-ever albums ever made from that gender; and that fact surprises a number of normal, run-of-the-mill music critics.
It falls down the pecking order as it is not serious enough. In fact, it is too comical with its outlook on life. However, if you are a Hip-Hop music fan from the late 1980s to the early 1990’s you would have heard of this album.
The first single to be released from this album was “Make Music with your mouth Biz”- which showcased Biz Markie's huge talent that he had for the technique that is known within Hip Hop circles as “Human Beatboxing”.
The second single to be released from the album and was and still is my own personal favorite of mine is “Nobody Beats the Biz”.
BIZ MARKIE - NOBODY BEATS THE BIZ
When I heard this for the first time on a Mixtape that someone had done for me in 1987, I just could not believe it. It sounded so fresh and funky all at the time.
I made a mental note of the single because the artist's name was not given on the Cassette tape.
In fact at the end of the song I made sure to write down the title of the track on a scrap of paper so that I would not forget it.
Wow is all I could remember when I had finished listening to it. It was an ingenious use at the time of a music sample that used a James Brown track within the same single.
However, many of my friends bought the same album straight out after just hearing those two songs mentioned above.
Many were even more amazed by the track called the " VAPOURS"
Biz Markie - The Vapours - 1988
The storytelling lyricism of “The Vapours” is so, so true to life; and even plays a part in modern living today.
He also brings forth a tale about one of his cousins who was looked down on as a no-hoper by everyone in the neighborhood. But now that he made it in the music business everybody wants to know him.
Biz also tells the story of himself asking to be given a chance with the “Mic” at a local party. But he was basically laughed down.
Now that he is making it in the Music industry everybody wants to know him. “Biz” then uses the catchphrase that these types of people “Have caught the vapors” in reference to them now wanting to know him now.
The album featured another killer track. Want to catch someone out if they are boasting saying that is from New York City? Ask them about the Mall called “Albee Square Mall” and where it was situated in New York City, USA at the time.
Biz Markies’ lyrics over his love for the Mall; and the area in general at the time. Just makes you smile to yourself.
He paints a mental picture of the Mall and Brooklyn area before it became an area gentrified for the rich via his rich rapping tone of his.
The beats and music supplied by Marley Marl along with the lyrics created by Big Daddy Kane are truly first-class. Please take a bow here you guys.
This album which was released on the label called Cold Chillin; is in my opinion a stone-cold classic.
Throughout the 1990s, Biz’s reputation transcended that of a mere rapper he had become a pop-culture figure. He was making appearances on other rappers' records.
For instance, the Beastie Boys were fans of his, and now we're asking him to appear in projects such as Check Your Head (1992), Ill Communication (1994), and Hello Nasty (1998). Biz at this point was a novelty act but also a living legend, a beloved figure. He was even sampled on “Anybody Seen My Baby,” a 1997 single by, of all people, the Rolling Stones.
However, it's a shame that Biz Markie hasn’t got the credit today that I feel he truly deserves, He will always be remembered for the track called "Just a friend". However, he has done more than that over his lifetime. If you ever get to read this Biz Markie well done my friend. You made a lot of people happy and put a smile on their faces via your music and this album.
If you were around at the time to hear this album. Or you have since bought the album. What are your thoughts about the album? Have you ever met Biz Markie in person before? Have you ever worked with Biz Markie? Please tell us.
New article about Biz Markie - please click this link below.
The Death of Biz Markie July 2021.
Well, that's all folks for me now anyway.
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